The prosecution, yesterday, proposed a 20-year sentence for Somayire Hagenimana, who is accused of defiling a 13-year old girl and impregnating her.Hagenimana, 22, of Rwesero, Kigali Sector in Nyarugenge District, yesterday pleaded guilty of forcefully sexually harassing the victim on March 10, last year. Prosecution had previously wanted to seek a life sentence against the suspect but relented after he entered a guilty plea and highlighted the need to take care of his child, before the Intermediate Court of Nyarugenge, presided over by Gasana Damascene.Prosecution told court that on the fateful night, Hagenimana, who was a barber at the time, closed the victim who had come to shave her hair, inside the barber shop and defiled her.Though Hagenimana pleaded guilty of the charges, he denied doing it inside the salon.“After I finished cutting her hair, I escorted her and forced her into sex on the way home. We had been friends for some time by the time I committed the offence and we were neighbours,” Hagenimana told court.“I request court to pardon me so that I can take care of my wife and child. I am their only hope and the mother wants to go back to school too. I want to take up the responsibility of her education since I am the reason she dropped out of school.” The ruling will be made June 28.
